information from Earth Corps

In September, EarthCorps launched the Fall Planting Challenge, with the goal of planting 10,000 native shrubs and trees before Dec. 15. That milestone will be reached on Saturday at Camp Long in West Seattle.

With support from the Alliance for Community Trees, local governments and corporate sponsors including the Boeing Company, Google, IKEA, Real Networks and, REI, over 2,000 EarthCorps volunteers have already installed 9,681 plants in just 6 weeks this fall. The cool, rainy Pacific Northwest weather is ideal for the establishment of the new plants.

“This is a great program,” said Darcy Nothnagle, Western Region Public Affairs and Government Relations Manager for Google. “These hands-on efforts to restore an important urban forest in Seattle will make a big difference in reducing carbon emissions and protecting our region’s environment.” Google has provided support to EarthCorps through their community grants program.

During 2013, several corporate groups, including teams from Microsoft and Expedia, helped to clear the areas where the planting will occur as part of their annual Days of Caring. Volunteers from Global Visionaries, a local service and youth leadership group, as well as teens participating in an intern program with Seattle Parks and Recreation, will be working to install the remaining plants this weekend. To volunteer with EarthCorps at Camp Long or another location, visit: http://www.earthcorps.org/volunteer.php

Sat., Dec. 7 - Event Overview at Camp Long. Map
9:30 am – registration opens
10:00 –50 volunteers arrive, get introduced to project and planting techniques
10:30 – planting begins! (300 native plants to install)
11:30 – volunteers, Plant Ambassadors, City representatives and corporate sponsors, gather to plant the 10,000th plant!
12 noon – lunchbreak
12:30 – volunteers spread mulch around new plants
2:00 – event ends

About the Fall Planting Challenge
In order to help meet the critical need to restore the urban forests of the Pacific Northwest, EarthCorps launched the Fall Planting Challenge in 2013. The goal is to get thousands of volunteers into urban forests in Federal Way, Kirkland, Mercer Island and Seattle and to plant 10,000 native trees, shrubs and groundcovers by December 15. These plants boost the health and climate resiliency of our cities, by retaining soil and stormwater, sequestering carbon, cleaning the air, and providing lush habitat for iconic wildlife like salmon and great blue herons.